That is Enough
by MassDestroyer
Summary: Well I hopped on the bandwagon and made a rewrite of the ending of mass effect 3 I'm going to make a chapter showing how I would like each of the three endings to have ended. So I guess this would be a four shot/short story, I don't know.


**Note: I just want to say, umm, I'm hopping on the bandwagon and writing an alternate ending to Mass Effect 3. This is meant more to be a slightly different way the game could have ended. I guess a rewrite and an epilogue for each ending. I didn't dislike the ending of the game, I actually really liked it. My complaint was that the war assets that you had gathered were not shown at the end. Like having geth troops attacking, krogan troops attacking reapers, etc. AND WHY THE FUCK DID JOKER LEAVE THE SYSTEM! Anyway on with the fic.**

_Pre-Three choices_

All Shepard heard was the drone of the engine. The ride in the truck was silent; there was nothing anybody needed to say. Sitting next to Shepard was Tali; his arm was wrapped around her body. Garrus sat across from him, Anderson next to him. Coats stood up near the front checking to see how many of hammer company still lived to make the final run.

Garrus was the one to break the silence, "Hard to believe that this is the end. That after three years of fighting, it comes down to this moment."

"I can't think of anyone in the galaxy that I'd rather have at my side than you two." Shepard replied "You guys stood by my side when this started. I want to say, thanks, for standing with me until the end."

"Shepard you couldn't keep us out of this fight if you tried" Tali declared

Coats decided that was the time to speak up "Everyone has checked in, unfortunately that is only a third of our original force. Your team has been crushing the reapers at every turn, but even that may not be enough. All they can do is hold the ground forces off long enough for us to make it to the beam."

"Well we at least have something to work with. The few minutes they give us should give us a chance." Anderson Stated

Suddenly a loud crash echoed through the truck, several curses were yelled by the driver.

"Well I guess this is our stop then" Shepard joked trying to lighten the situation.

They all got out of the truck. Major coats started contacting the platoon leaders.

"Shepard we got a report from Hacket; Harbinger is on the way they can't stop him."

"Then I guess we better hurry."

Shepard looked over to Tali. He put out his hand, and she took it in hers.

They had one moment, just to say good bye. The look they exchanged said more than any words could. Still John felt he had to say something.

"Goodbye Tali, I love you more than anything in the galaxy, thank you."

She threw her arms around him and quietly sobbed.

"I just wish we had more time."

"I do to."

Anderson looked over at the two. He almost felt himself tear up a little. It was blatant how much the two loved each other. The first part of hammer started the approach to the beam. Tali pulled away from Shepard, who in turn started to walk. Their hands, which were shortly reunited after the hug, drifted apart once more. Tali slowly followed, staying just behind him.

Out of nowhere Harbinger fell out of the sky and positioned itself right behind the beam. Shepard broke into a sprint towards the beam. He had to strafe down the mountain to avoid harbinger's attacks. Less than fifty yards from the beam; one laser went straight for Shepard. Tali had fallen behind and screamed. Garrus on the other had had kept up with the marine and stood only a few feet back.

For all three time seemed to slow. Shepard tried to stop and dodge, Tali ran towards Garrus and Shepard as fast as she could. The turian jumped to Shepard, grabbed him, and threw him a few feet away. It was barely enough, Shepard was clear, but Garrus took his spot. The marine watched in shock as his best friend was consumed by the fire. When it passed all that was left of his friend was ash, and a small puddle of molten metal.

In fury Shepard got up and sprinted for the beam. Ten feet away, a marauder revealed itself. It fired three rounds. At that range not even Shepard's shields could protect him. All three hit home in his chest. Tali was able to kill the marauder with her pistol. Shepard fell down on his hands and knees. Tali kept using her pistol to keep husks away from Shepard. Anderson rushed over, helped the soldier up, and the two rushed as fast as they could (which wasn't very fast) to the beam. Tali was about to follow when harbinger fired right at the beam. In a few seconds the whole thing was collapsing.

Shepard and Anderson had made it but she was left behind. Harbinger decided that it was better off fighting the rest of the fleet, not wasting its time on rubble.

Over the radio she heard static "SHEPARD?" she yelled

"Sorry Tali it's Joker, what's the status of Shepard's and Garrus we lost contact with both of them."

"John made is to the beam then Harbinger destroyed it. Garrus, pushed Shepard out of the way of a laser, he's gone." She replied barely holding back tears

"Damnit! Ok, we have Cortez in another shuttle he is coming to pick you and the team up."

"Why?"

"Well you guys are going to need an evac. After that we have to get Shepard. I mean it would look pretty bad on us if we just left the savior of the galaxy to die now wouldn't it."

"Yeah," she chuckled, "I guess it would."

A few minutes later a Shuttle touched down Tali climbed inside. They got back on the Normandy, and were on their way to the citadel.

On the citadel Shepard opened his eyes.

"Anderson? Tali? TALI!"

He opened his omni-tool and checked the comm.

"Anyone there?"

"Shepard." Anderson "Are you also on the citadel?"

"Yeah. Its dark, there are remains everywhere. Have you heard from Tali?"

"Negative. I don't think she made it."

Shepard felt tears begin to roll down his face.

"I doubt she would want you to bleed out use some medi-gel on those wounds of yours."

Shepard complied.

Grabbing his paladin and staring to walk forward Shepard asked "Where are you we need to meet up."

"In some kind of ravine, the walls are moving. I think I heard someone ahead."

"Go check it out; I'll try to catch up."

The walls moved around and revealed a wide room.

"Hey I just found that ravine."

"Good I should me just ahead." He replied "Hey you who are… Oh god, Shepard it's the Illu…*Static*"

"Anderson! Damnit."

Shepard broke into a jog and even started running despite protest from his chest. He saw a man up ahead.

"Anderson, Anderson is that you?"

As he approached moving got harder, he was out of breath by the time he made it.

"Sh-Shepard behind you."

Shepard started to spin but was surprised when he stopped before he started. The Illusive man walked up behind him. He began his lecture over why humanity should control the reapers. It only took a few seconds to realize the Illusive Man controlled him and Anderson.

Shepard finally summoned enough willpower to speak against him "Then why don't you control them, do it. What is the point of talking if you won't back it up."

"I-I-I"

"That's right, you're theirs now. YOU CAN'T DO IT!"

"I can I just need… to silence you first."

Shepard felt the Illusive Man take control of his arm holding the pistol. He lifted it up and gave it to the Illusive Man. Anderson tried to fight and save Shepard but was shoved to the ground by the Illusive Man. The leader of Cerberus pointed the Paladin right at Shepard's heart. Right before he pulled the trigger Anderson managed to knock the Illusive Man off balance. Instead of his heart, the round tore through Shepard's left shoulder. The Illusive Man turned and fired two rounds through Anderson's head.

This gave Shepard enough time to activate both omni-blades; which found home in the Illusive Man's lungs. Using the last bit of strength he had he removed the blades and shoved the Illusive Man over the edge into the void of space.

The marine stood there for several seconds. He glanced over at his fallen friend and sighed. Shepard sat down on the center of the platform. He glanced at his shoulder, he could see straight through the wound. He applied the last bit of medi-gel he had on the wound which did very little to stop the pain or bleeding. Shepard pulled out the echo shard. His omni-tool may fail and he wasn't about to write the message in blood. The message he placed on it may have not been vital to the galaxy, but it may as well have been to Shepard.

"Whoever it is that is seeing this please take this to Tali'Zorah, if she is still alive, this is John Shepard. Anderson is dead and I'm bleeding out. Tali even if I'm not with you, I can say I'm up in the bar with Garrus watching you. I don't want you to never move past me. Even if I'm not there, I want you to be happy. I'll always love you."

'That is all. That is enough.'

Shepard felt his conciseness fading rapidly, the one thing that he saw was Tali's face.

**Note: Well that's one way to kill a few hours. I don't know how some people do it. Just 2000 word update after a few days, the actual content is about 1500 words and this took me several days. Anyway I'll try to get out another part soon. Please leave a review, tell me what I fucked up or if I did something right. And tell me what ending I should rewrite first. If anyone cares I haven't forgotten about Until the End after re reading the first chapter I realized I messed a bunch of stuff up. Biotic sword was supposed to be blade of psionic energy, which I THINK was originally supposed to be a biotic heavy melee. So yeah re-writing that, writing this, and the next chapter of UtE. Anyway thanks for reading!  
-MassDestroyer**


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